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Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP
A protester argues with police officers outside the Federation Council in Moscow on Wednesday. The poster held by the protester reads: "Children get frozen in the Cold War."
MOSCOW — Russia's upper house of parliament approved a bill on Wednesday that would prohibit Americans from adopting Russian children and impose other measures in retaliation for a U.S. law designed to punish Russians accused of human rights violations.
The bill would also outlaw some U.S.-funded non-governmental organizations and impose visa bans and asset freezes on Americans accused of violating the rights of Russians abroad.
The bill was endorsed by the lower house last week and is now expected to be sent to President Vladimir Putin to sign.
Putin hasn't committed to signing the bill, but referred to it as a legitimate response to the new U.S. law.
It is one part of a larger measure by angry lawmakers retaliating against a recently signed U.S. law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators.
The U.S. law is primarily intended to end Cold War-era trade restrictions and was hailed by U.S. businesses worried about falling behind in the race to win shares of Russia's more open market, but its human rights part has outraged Putin's government.
Dubbed the Magnitsky Act, the U.S. legislation is named for Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who was arrested by officials he accused of a $230-million tax fraud.
He was repeatedly denied medical treatment and in 2009 died after almost a year in jail after being severely beaten by guards.
Opportunity denied
Some top Russian officials, including the foreign minister, have spoken flatly against the Russian bill, arguing that the measure would be in violation with Russia's constitution and international obligations.
Earlier Wednesday, several protesters were detained outside the upper house as it prepared to make its decision.
Boy's Christmas wish: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat
"Children get frozen in the Cold War," one poster read.
Critics of the bill say it victimizes orphans by depriving them of an opportunity to escape often-dismal Russian orphanages.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the U.S. is "poisoning ties" between the two countries with a law that bans Russians who abuse human rights and is backing a Russian draft law banning adoption by Americans. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Americans may lose right to adopt Russian kids
There are about 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia, according to UNICEF. More than 60,000 Russian children have been adopted in the United States in the past 20 years.
The Russian bill is named in honor of Dima Yakovlev, a Russian toddler who was adopted by Americans and then died in 2008 after his father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours.
See the US Action Plan on Children in Adversity
The father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Russian lawmakers argue that by banning adoptions to the U.S. they would be protecting children and encouraging adoptions inside Russia.
Russian children’s rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov told the Interfax news agency that 46 children who were about to be adopted by U.S. citizens would stay in Russia — despite court rulings in some of these cases authorizing the adoptions.
Astakhov also insisted that all adoptions would be halted once the bill is signed by Putin, but a senior lawmaker at the Federation Council insisted it cannot be enacted immediately.
Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Council's foreign affairs committee, said that a bilateral Russian-U.S. agreement binds Russia to notify of a halt in adoptions 12 months in advance.
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Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
While I sympathize with the Russian orphans, I fail to understand why people are adopting foreign children when there are American children that need good homes. This is right up there with giving money to other countries when Americans are starving. I guess I shouldn't expect common sense to be prevalent any longer.
Many Americans adopt from abroad because they dearly want to have children but can't deal with the difficult adoption system here, and since when is compassion and a sense of humanity only tied to national affiliation? Kids are kids, and many who have been adopted from overseas have become good American citizens who contribute HERE. You and I benefit from that, yet you only equate these adoptions with us "giving money" to other countries. Next time you need a paramedic or a doctor or a cop or a teacher or firefighter to assist you, be sure to ask them first if they were adopted from overseas. If they were, ask for someone else, ask for a "real" American. It's the "American" thing to do.
Nikolaus, these foreign adoption organizations are for profit #1 and #2 a lot of those countries send special need children so who is going to pay for these children for the rest of their lives, we the taxpayer will. Just one special need child will consume so many resources over their lifetime I suspect that foreign adoption is a net loss for our country.
1) They don't just swap your adopted child with a 'special needs' child on the way to the airport ... well, usually they don't, they are sneaky Russians though so I'm sure it happens.
2) The adoption system in the US --SUCKS--. Yes, Russian adoption may be for-profit, but it's MUCH cheaper, quicker, simpler, and easier to accomplish. US Adoption is a mess and cost prohibitive. Russian, not so much. But the 'pros' to Russian adoption can quickly becomes 'cons' as well - as you point out.
3) A kid in need of a home is a kid in need of a home. To me, where they come from - is of no importance.
square dude, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. The overwhelming majority of foreign adoption agencies are not-for-profit.
Couldn't be that Americans would prefer to adopt blond, blue-eyed children, could it?
There are very few children to be adopted in the US for one very simple reason....abortion. That's right folks, the 1.2 million abortions yearly in the US lead to few children to be adopted. Like it or not, that's why we have so few children to adopt in the US. Having said that, this situation with Russia is politics as usual and, as usual, the innocent pay the price.
In order for a US couple to internationally adopt, they have to prove to immigration that they make 3 times the living wage for their area and are financially solvent and able to care for said child on their own nickel. Anyone who has been on welfare or drawn public assistance is ineligible to adopt internationally, and there are restrictions on adopting domestically if you've drawn welfare, too.
Countries don't 'send' special needs children--the child and the prospective adopted parents meet before the adoption paperwork is finalized. Parents are informed if the child is a special-needs one--and as I said above they have to prove their income to immigration, and in the case of a child who requires a massive amount of care, federal authorities look at how much someone in the US would have to make in order to care for that special needs child with no governmental subsidies and the adoptive parents have to make above that amount.
I hate this sneaky Putin,and he will never be on friendly foot with America,he was an ass years ago and he still is and a very dangerous man,who dreams to destroy us one way or the other, but yes to stop the adoption is one good deed,we have enough kids here in our states that are waitng for a good home so lets work on that,you want a kid,then take an American.
Looks like the US Adoption Industry is busy spreading the idea everyone should adopt from the US. US adoptions cost MORE than international adoptions...GUESS who is making alot of PROFIT $$ on that! With 10 parents competing for every US infant, US infants are practically guaranteed a great home. Meanwhile, Russian kids have very little chance of ever getting a family...and LESS now with these politicians letting children suffer for their gain!! Please don't criticize people who want to give an orphan a home. You should try adopting domestically before asking others to - then you will see why people go international!
Well said. Speaking the truth that nobody wants to hear is very hard to do but the man who does it is twice over a good man indeed.
MTman-712075
I don't know where or how you have come up with the information you used to formulate your opinions on the number of kids looking for home and the number of kids who are " guaranteed " adoption but it is wrong. My wife and I were foster parents for many years. We has 42 children through our home. Let me tell you from experience. There are thousands of kids hoping to be adopted just in my area let alone the country. Families who are looking for children to adopt are only a small fraction of those available. it does disturb me when I see movie stars adopt outside the US simply to make news. Of course they take care of the kids but thier motivation is both political and professional move.
@Avenger-2464988
Where exactly are these "thousands of kids" hoping to be adopted? Most of those in foster care just want to go back to their birth parents! Foster care is considered by many professionals to be "extremely toxic" and very destructive to the child and family - see www.nccpr.org/reports/michiganrelease1976.pdf The vast majority on the states websites (for adoption) are 15 years old or older.
Finally, why didn't you adopt the children who came thru your home?
MTman-712075,,,,, I know i know you have been offended because someone called you out on your stats that are WRONG. The truth is many foster parents do adopt as we did. However you can only take on so much responsibility before you can not provide proper care and attention to the ones you have. You opinions are based on incorrect data and untiul you input correct data you will continue to speak falsly about the adoption of children in the US. Just like a computer . Bad stuff in bad stuff out. By the way i am in Ohio. Check out youngstown and Clevelend areas for starters and Columbus if those two areas don't support my claims too you. We had kids from all three.
MTman-712075 Just too give you a little more insight into the fostercare my wife and I did ( she passed away 4 years ago). We focused on the kids that you brought attention too. Our primary focus was for kids who where 13 too 17 years old. no one will adopt them as a rule and even worse is few foster parents will take them is as well. we changed amny lives bu showing these troubled youth someone does care for them. There are many many kids who need homes here. There is no need for anyone to adopt outside this country.
I'm not sure where you got the information that US adoptions cost more than International adoptions. China, Russian, Central American all cost upwards of $20K. US adoptions generally cost under $10-15K, unless you are "buying" a newborn perfectly healthy white child, brokered through an attorney or a less than reputable agency. In most staes, once the Court order is signed by the judge, the birth parents never have any right to come back and invade the situation. State sponsored adoptions often come with a stipend or at least Medicaid for the child's health needs. The irony about Russian adoptions is how absolutley abominable their orphanages are. Friends of ours adopted a sib group and their kids were neglected and allowed to view television with XXX pornography being viewed 24 hours a day.
I think part of the cost in the US has to do with US standards and requirements for such agencies and the care of children - regulations in which Russians have very few.
From adoption.com:
This only hurts the children and families trying to adopt. While us adoption is cheaper it also comes with more stress since the birth mother can change her mind anywhere from 1-60 days after birth. We have friends that were suppose to pick up their new baby boy after visiting him in the hospital for a week, papers had been signed. They had everything ready at home, had been feeding him daily at the hospital and they day they were set to pick him up they get a call that the birth mother changed her mind. Heartbreaking. I can see why so many couples choose international adoption.
? Hmmmmmm
Wendy: Thank you.
I was internationally adopted myself, (though I didn't know this until I was an adult, Dad and Mom never told me, Immigration did) and looking over the huge pile of documents they had in my file gave me some insight into the process.
I was what the UN terms 'stateless'--an abandoned infant left on the doorstep of an international orphanage with no birth certificate/documentation. Because the country in which that orphanage was is not one that had signed the UN Resolution on the Reduction of Statelessness back in the 60's, I wasn't granted citizenship in that country--I legally had no home country, no name, no birth parents, and therefore no rights anywhere because I officially didn't exist. Added to that, I was female in a country which deems girls as 'worthless'. Stateless infants, particularly girls, usually wind up in slave-labor type situations or bought and sold as child sex slaves.
Dad and Mom picked me out of the orphanage. Because I was a 'worthless female' the red tape was surprisingly easy to get through--they paid the orphanage to pick a name and an arbitrary birthdate for me and then paid the government of the country money to issue me a passport, then applied with INS for permission to bring me into the country to adopt. After a lot of back and forth, about a year and a half, permission was finally granted and Dad and Mom were allowed to adopt me.
There was virtually no chance that a birth parent would be able to track me down and pop into Dad and Mom's life. Dad and Mom could start life over with a clean slate, no ties to the past, just a future ahead provided this sickly little baby girl survived. I think that was probably one of things that factored into their decision to adopt internationally--that, and the fact that they were not approved to adopt in the US, though I never found out why. Dad was a Vietnam and Korean war vet turned missile-guidance-system-private-contractor, Mom was a war bride, I can't imagine why they weren't allowed to adopt.
But the decision to adopt is a very personal one, because you're making a huge financial, emotional, mental, and physical commitment to raising this child you don't know. The only one who can make that decision is you and whoever will be helping you raise that child, and the choice of child should be up to you to decide--not to a government entity who will never meet you, the child you're trying to adopt, and knows nothing about your reasons for wanting this one specific child out of every other child in the world.
Russia, China, USA, etc. have all the right to protect their childrens interest !
Did you read the story? Russia wants to ban Americans from adopting Russian orphans in retaliation for America speaking out against Russian human rights violations. This has nothing to do with Russia protecting the best interests of its children.
As the Russian woman said "ORPHANAGES ARE EVIL" they MUST be Banned ASAP in every country!
To be honest, they have never worked well in the US, or any other country, either. So it's just not Russia. Foster care, and FINDING FAMILIES is the only thing that works!
MTman your "facts" are wrong. There is no agency that tracks adoption on a yearly basis. The last report from 2008 is numbered at over 100,000 adoptions and that number has risen. That doesn't include temporary foster care or make shift "homes" when a parent is incarcerated or on drug programs etc...and won't release their parent less children for adoption. Did you honestly think that only 21 children per state needed homes?
Domestic U.S. adoptions can fall into two types: agency and independent. Adoption agencies must be licensed by the state in which they operate. The U.S. government maintains a website, The Child Information Gateway, which lists every state's licensed agencies. There are both private and public adoption agencies. Private adoption agencies often focus on infant adoptions, while public adoption agencies typically help find homes for waiting children, many of them presently in foster care and in need of a permanent loving home. To assist in the adoption of waiting children, there is a U.S. government-affiliated website, Adopt US Kids, assisting in sharing information about these children with potential adoptive parents. The North American Council on Adoptable Children provides information on financial assistance to adoptive parents (called adoption subsidies) when adopting a child with special needs. Independent adoptions are usually arranged by attorneys and typically involve newborn children. Approximately 55% of all U.S. newborn adoptions are completed via independent adoptions.
Anti-Russian and anti-Putin propaganda and lies as usual from American msm.
"To impose sanctions on persons responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, and for other gross violations of human rights in the Russian Federation, and for other purposes."
NOTICE the 'other purposes' part! This bill has nothing to do with Magnitsky or human rights! It is a blackmail tool designed to pressure Russians to dance to Washington's tune.
Here is what a prominent activist, writer and leader of Trade Union of Russian Citizens Nikolay Starikov wrote about the bill:
"So called Magnitsky List is none other than an attempt to pressure political elites of Russia from US.
BTW, in liberal press and world msm this act of American state is presented as tool to fight corruptioners - people guilty of death of lawyer Magnitsky.
In reality Americans do not care about Magnitsky. Their goal is something else entirely - to create a "legal instrument", by which anyone can be added to a "list" and start putting on him/her economic sanctions. For example arrest his bank account or property abroad.
Magnistky List is an egregious violation of principles of international law and an example of how judicial system of US is trying to dominate the entire world.
The "List" of those whom US is unhappy with includes, not only police officers and prosecutors, but even judges! And most importantly - to add a person to the "Magnitsky List" he does not need to have any connection to Magnistky case. US authorities can add absolutely anyone to the list!"
Let Russia take care of Russia's problems.
So, They have 750,000 parentless children, Then Russia
can find their own solution.........It's not America's problem.
How interesting, that Russia didn't seek to ban adoptions from U.S. families, when the first deaths occurred with Russian children. But only after the United States pointed out its Human Rights violations and is now seeking sanctions against it, in a law. It would seem, Russia doesn't really care for its own children, and it now seeking to use them as a tool, because it can. How disgusting to play on the heartstrings of the world
I can hear it now.....
United States to Russia.....You have human Rights violations.....
Russia to United States.....How dare you accuse us of such things.For this terrible act, we will keep our unwanted, unloved, cast off orphans shut away in cold empty institutions so you heartless Americans cannot get your rich hands on them. You will see the price you must pay, when you are forced to adopt other countries children instead of ours. Only our citizens are worthy of adopting these worthless children.As soon as we can find any worthy enough, for our standards are much higher then you Americans,I promise.
United States to Russia.....Thank you for making our case. Our sanctions are valid.
The issue here is multifold--part of the anger at US couples who adopt Russian children stem from high profile cases like the one where the adoptive parent left an adopted Russian infant in a hot car for hours and the baby died.
And then there was a case where a US couple adopted a 7 year old special-needs boy, got him home, discovered they simply couldn't handle him, and without informing local Social services or the American side of the adoption agency they put him by himself on a plane back to Russia with a note saying they didn't want him anymore. There was outrage in Russia at this--with our highly-touted Transportation Security checking people at airports, how did they miss this 7 year old mentally-disabled child getting on a plane alone?
The anger over human rights is also a bit of 'pot calling kettle black'. With international organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International castigating the US over our human rights violations--most notably Guantanamo Bay and unreported deaths in deportation camps, although there are other issues--their viewpoint is that we really don't have much of a right to be calling other countries out on their human rights violations. You know the old saying, "People who live in glass houses should not throw bricks...
A good friend of mine and his wife adopted an American born child. Two weeks later, the birth mom decided she wanted the child back. They were heart broken to say the least. They then made arrangements to adopt a child from Korea and within hours of picking up the child, they were back on a plane to the US. They now have two Korean born children. Maybe if they made the adoption laws for adopting American born children easier, things might be different.
@Jamie
Awesome post! It's good to hear from someone who's informed about the US adoption system, and can appreciate why people adopt internationally.
Thanks for the intelligent post. I'm an adoptive mom of a very special little girl from China (1994). The laws in the US are not (adoptive) family friendly. Living in limbo for years pre and post adoption is not acceptable to many of us. US adoption laws protect the bio parents and ignore the adoptive parents - too many children, even years later after adoption finalization, are returned to the bio parent(s). It became a precedent to either misname the bio father (or not name him at all), creating a glitch that could later re-open a successful adoption and turn that well-adjusted, secure child's life completely upside down.
when we decided to adopt,the only criteria was that we would not deal with the U.S. judicial system or the attorneys within.most rewarding experience of our lives.Happy New Year!
In our society & Justice system criminals & child abusers rule since our system was set up to protect the criminal over our children. It is time for the US to change our adoption laws to protect the interest of the children.
As a grandparent in many states I would have to jump through all the hoops & BS to be able to get custody of the grandchildren whereas complete strangers even child molesters have more rights than family.
However as for Russia, what point of view are we giving these people to judge us by, parents putting young children on a plane with basically as letter, return to sender. Parents leaving the babies in cars by themselves in extreme weather or locking the up in cages so parent don't have deal with problem.
And as for those who believe the US child welfare system is working, keep in mind 70% of the children end up living on the streets & in the system (prisons, juvenile detentions centers or mental wards) the product of our glorious environment
These protestors are so courageous and I am impressed with their committment to protect children! It makes me SICK to see Russia suppressing dissent. Looks like Russia is back to their OLD SOVIET TRICKS. Or, maybe they never really stopped them.
@Avenger-2464988
Ok, the site says for ALL of Ohio - there are only 86 kids under the age of 12.
Now there are about 2500 if you count all those up to age 21. Tell me, WHY do the states like Ohio wait until most of them are mid-teens to place them for adoption?
MTman they wait that long cause they put the kid in drug rehab before they place them for adoption, cause all of the low life parents are all on drugs,you see whats going on every day, there is alot of idiots takeing innocent lifes cause there parents are on drugs, its not the kids faught, when the kids have no direction/disceplin thats why we see all these kids with guns,and drugs, and it goes on and on, where there starting to have babys at 12 years old, the one girl on the murray povich show last month was 11, and in 4 more months she was haveing a baby
joe slav
They wait that long cuz they want the kids to STAY in the system and increase their numbers for funding. They know most children under 15 will be quickly adopted. Many of the "children" are over 18 ..and need to be getting jobs, and getting a mentor, not getting rich parents to support their college fund.
this is great for russia. now they can deal with their own problem instead of using the U.S to deal with their social problems. we should also focus on the same thing. solving our own social problems not purchasing abroad.
In the Magnitsky Act, the American government hides a political motive under another "human rights" violation slogan. And the gullible American people continue to swallow the "human right" ruse as if the American government has a clean set of hands.
Arrogant America acts 'holier than thou' as America criticizes other nations of human right violations. America will never admit its history is filled with human right violations: Gitmo tortures and water boarding; death and destruction in Afghan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Yemen; the domestic mass assassination of people in schools, malls, theatre, and workplace; police brutality against protestors who oppose government bailouts of the FatCats under the 1st Amendment; the violations of privacy, search and seizures as guranteed by the 4th Amendment; and the confiscation of property and theft of wealth through either police power or by the stealthy actions of the Federal Reserve.
As America has no moral high ground from which to cast stones at others, the allegation of "human right" violation in Russia can serve only as political leverage on a less conspicuous topic: trade and money.
Let's see, America's so horrible, all these terrible things are going on, unlike the rest of the world where everything is just wonderful. And you're still here,why?
He's still here OLDDOG, because it's his country and he doesn't have to leave just because you think he should. And since this IS America, he has the right to say what he thinks without leaving. I, personally, would feel better if people like you left.
this is great, we will go all over the world to help other children but we forget about the children in the u.s.a. who need to be adopted. remember charity begins at home. also russia,china,india will only gives us sick kids or females that they have no need for and would rather see them dead instead of taking care of them.
We America's are no better than any other country when it comes to playing politics with the kids, we use them and abuse them like any other country, we aren't the big almighty savior of needy children either, look around we have little ones starving right here at home..
If you do not think America is better, then you ought to live in Russia for a while. Your eyes will be opened, and oh! how glad you will be to get out!
" look around we have little ones starving right here at home.." Really? Maybe we should start a government program to stop that. We could call it food stamps, or AFDC, or maybe WIC... what do you think? Got to agree with Brenda on this one!
LORI is correct. You guys just don't want to admit it. Hate to bust your bubble here, but the US is NOT the greatest country to be born in - not even close.
www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/worlds-best-countries_n_2205270.html
And our students ARE NOT the best in Mathematics and Sciences; they haven't been for a long, long time. And China, Japan and India put out FAR superior students, engineers and scientists than the US does. NO comparison WHATSOEVER.
Look at the bright side: At least these kids have much lower chances of getting shot up in school by a trigger-happy psychopath. In Russia, it's not so easy to acquire a semi-automatic military rifle, and even if you do, you'll have a hard time finding a range to practice for a massacre. I'd bet the NRA doesn't even want to bother to check statistics on school shootings in Russia.
@Al Kyda --- No, but the NRA did check your IQ and found it to be somewhere between a field goal and a touchdown. Stay on topic!
@NC Vet-- NRA is now recalculating based on new information... the number has gone down! It currently stands at free throw.
That's great the Russians passed a law banning us from adopting Russians! That's not going to stop the real people in power in Russia (not Putin) from sending kids this way, to much money involved.
So if it costs thousands to adopt an American child these "hollywooder's" adopt foreign-born why? They can afford it. They want media coverage. It goes a long way because hollywood press does articles on it over & over. So much for the value of American children once again.
It's not a matter of money for them! It's a matter of not qualifying. Do you really think any American adoption agency would let any of them adopt a child?
Well, I have mixed feelings about the "celebrity" adoptions. In the end, I think I give the them credit for good intentions and publicity. Not really sure beyond that. But yes, adoption is expensive whether foreign or domestic. Forget about the old movie tales you may have seen, lining up children and someone saying "I'll take that one." That thing is long-gone. Current adoption require lots of lawyer time, as well as time from other expensive professional types. Think that the latest figure I've seen for foreign agency adoptions was $25-30K; not much less for domestic. One can expedite the time some by requesting a special needs child (over age 4 or with identified medical problem). But the expense will always be top-drawer. Because of that, don't think that adoption will ever be a solution to any of our many social ills.
Sadly, the innocent children suffer for the "games" being played by adult led governments. And our entire world's governments have far too many other issues and problems to be taken care of. The BIG FIX......we as the United States need to focus on our country and stop invading into the personal lives and business of other nations.
We adopted our three foreign-born children before adoption from east Europe or China was in vogue. I had a close job association at the time with a national of the country from which we adopted them. He was an intelligent and mannered guy. As he explained, "My country is so poor." But he later showed some mixed feeling about adoptions to the US (and other countries that do it) when he explained that foreign adoption was viewed as a subtle affront by some in his country because "It shows that we cannot take care of our own children."
Ok, is it possible that one of the reasons that the law was passed is because some Americans mistreated and even attempted to return the children they brought here to the US? I saw and read some pretty bad and sad stories about the treatment of Russia adopted kids. YES, I also heard of some successful adoptions as well but, maybe the bad ones outweighted the good ones and the Russians want to protect their kids. Our solution maybe to give the newly adopted child a gun to protect themselves. Since we believe more guns out in the public hands will deter voilence against chldren. Maybe the Russians are smarter than I thought.
Well, there's just no cure for stupid........
It great to know perhaps American children will be adopted. Putin will be the next U.S. president at the rate the demoncrat/islamist party is rolling along. The real America is, perhaps, gone forever...
I was going to respond to your statement but something crossed my mind: I was told by a grandparent that you should never engage stupid into an altercation because it becomes difficult for someone on the outside to determine clearly which one of you is the idiot.........the islamist party my A$$. Do you people ever look at FACTS or is it just your preconcieved notions, illogical assumptions, and maybe personal insecurities that leads you to make such nonsense based statements. Maybe the Russians don't want their children here to protect them exposure from folks like you.
We should start executing Russians here for any crime...Russians are not anyone to be afraid of anymore,all they are doing is harming the children there which they have never cared about...which is why there is over 700,000 children needing homes there...oh well it will just hurt Russia more than the US
Putin the pussy a wannabe Stalin
Maybe you will help to invent some Russian-specific crimes to get more of them "executed here"?
Like, for example, having intellectually demanding high-paying job?
Btw only a small percentage of American children in orphanages and institutions are available for legal adoption here in the US which is usually why American children arent chosen first in these regards
Adopting children who have been in Russian orphanges is bringing children that have been abused physically and sexually... the several young adult russian adoptees I have met have so many mental health problems coupled with substance abuse due to the abuse they received while still in the care of russia. Basically I feel we have enough problems here in the United States.... we don't need to add other countries "sickness" into our mix here!
We need to look in a mirror – our country has the highest
number of child abuse cases in the free world – we need to address that before
we judge others. Adoption in the U.S. is
not an easy process, but if we have the heart and the desire we can fix it,
verses just talking about it.
Hey, Againsthegrains. I think you are on to something. While it is partially true that getting an adoptee from some third world hell hole may take less time than adopting here from American stock, it's often more costly in term of dollars, time and gray hairs, both acutely and for the long haul. And while terrific kids can come from anywhere, the former East Block States sadly have a socioeconomic cultural milieu that can predispose to bolshe problems. And it's not merely fetal alcohol syndrome, tough as that can be. Stress, violence, poor nutrition, ambient environmental toxins, community wide depression, and family customs from the middle ages---all can contribute to untoward outcomes. I agree that when some lily white wealthy liberal takes on a little darkie or two, it's often prompted by PC, self loathing guilt, the need to display and to keep up with the folks in the mansion next door. Of course exceptions exist, but these seem mostly to be in deeply religious folks of more modest means. So, yeah, pays in many ways to look about here first if adoption is a consideration. But all of this begs a few infrequently asked questions, self-examining as they are. These should also be asked for folks contemplating becoming biological parents. For clues as to what to ask oneself, check out the twelve step program literature on acceptance, motives and letting go. Among others. Far better for some to remain childless. Best to you and yours for 2013. Aa.
"takes on a little darkie or two"? You....uhhh.....you....yeah. You should be happy your HR lady isn't around...